Wandering Warrior
by elven prophecy
Summary: Cause not enough Ryu smut for my liking, and rather than complain I'm gonna write some lol. Enjoy! Comments are love! Comments are life! My knowledge of Japanese folklore is wiki based so if inaccurate I will apologize now. No offense was intended! Ancient Japanese forest spirit takes notice of a lone warrior in her forest.
1. Round 1

Round 1

She had been watching him for a long time. Since he'd first entered her forest days ago now it seemed, carrying a large white canvas sack over his right shoulder. A wandering warrior surrounded by powers not meant for mortal hands. It was what first caught her attention. Spirits, like her, were attracted to humans like him because of it.

Curiousity had drawn her to him like a veritable moth to the flame.

Dusk was settling in her forest, the trees were already singing their lullabies. The flowers were on the verge of falling asleep, their petals folding in on themselves. The sun had turned the sky of her forest a dark pink and purple. She should be dancing on the wind across the treetops right now, twirling in the air like an autumn leaf with her arms outstretched.

Except she wasn't. She was blended perfectly into a large tree, keeping herself hidden from the warrior to better observe him.

He was not a tall man, more than a couple inches under six feet she'd hazard a guess. His short hair was black like a raven's wing, a faded, red headband was wrapped around his forehead, the tails of it hanging down his back. He had somewhat bushy black eyebrows that accentuated his near black eyes. He sported a square jaw that was lined with an uneven stubble.

The white clothes he wore looked worn, dirty and torn. The karate gi had the sleeves torn off, the edges of the material was frayed and tattered. A black belt was knotted at his waist tightly, four kanji symbols were sewn into the material, she could not read them from here. The pants he wore were also frayed and tattered at his ankles. He was barefoot.

His sack was dropped at the base of a tree and he sat down, cross-legged, and leaned back against the bark. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he placed his hands on his knees. A faint wind rustled his shirt, lifting it from his muscular chest.

She crept away from the tree she was hiding in and hovered close to where he sat, meditating. She had noticed that when he stopped to rest, he slept sitting up for an hour or so before he would start dancing around for hours. It wasn't the same kind of dance she did when the wind blew just right. He used his legs and arms very differently, fighting more than dancing. She had no way of knowing that he was actually training, honing his martial arts, keeping his body in peak physical condition.

Her dainty feet touched the ground just in front of the warrior. She sat before him cross-legged, the same as he. She debated for a moment whether she should materialize in front of him when he spoke, startling her.

"I know you're there." His voice was even-toned, balanced with a hint of gravel. She froze before him and then relaxed as he opened his eyes. He was staring in her direction and she thought he could see her before he frowned suddenly and she watched him look from left to right. His black eyes searching her forest.

His frown deepened, his mouth remained a thin line. She could better see him now that she was closer. She could also read the kanji on his belt. Wind, Forest, Fire and Mountain. She was curious as to what that meant, but not curious enough to materialize.

There were rules to follow before she could appear to a human. He could not bring harm to her forest. As a Yokai she had to make sure he would respect this. Humans were dangerous, they did not live well with the spirits that surrounded them.

The black eyes closed and he took in a deep breath, his chest expanding, the muscles bunching. He leaned his head back against the tree and she watched as his entire body relaxed.

He did not move for a long time and when he opened his eyes again, she found herself leaning forwards to better look into their depths. Their faces were a mere inch apart. His eyes weren't focused on her rather he was looking through her. She was still invisible.

She gasped when his black eyes suddenly sharpened and if she didn't know any better, looked her directly in the eyes. That internal power that had first attracted her, reflected in that dark gaze, and briefly she saw the blue flames writhing inside. She backed away from him immediately, scrambling back a few feet.

His eyes weren't following her, but she would have sworn that for a split second he had seen her. She watched as he got to his feet in one smooth motion and stepped away from the tree. She crawled towards his sack and peeked inside as best as she could without touching it. It was closed tightly with a drawstring.

She had her back to him when he started training. Punching and kicking at the air. He'd jump and roll, used his hands and feet as he dodged and evaded invisible hits. He'd grunt and scream out randomly, his voice focusing his strength.

She sat where he'd been sitting and watched him train as the sun finally set and darkness enveloped them. Her vision didn't change, and he didn't stop. He continued to move as though he were dancing. She wondered why he was doing what he was doing, she didn't understand humans.

It was hours before he stopped and the forest returned to silence. His big chest was heaving, his clothes were soaked and his skin glistened with perspiration. He stood straight, and raised his head to the sky. He closed his eyes and let the wind dance around him, rustling his gi. It was a moment before he returned to his sack and sat down beside it.

She moved through him as she watched from over his shoulder as he opened the sack and reached inside to pull out a couple of apples. She giggled quietly when he bit into one and juice and white flesh exploded everywhere. It would have splashed her face if she had been solid.

He ate the whole apple, core and all. Nothing was wasted except for the stem he tossed to the side. He repeated the process with the second apple, eating it with gusto before tossing away the stem. He then grabbed his sack and arranged it like a pillow. He rested his head on it, stretched his legs out and closed his eyes. She heard his stomach growling as he relaxed his breathing.

She floated over him for a moment before she suddenly beamed and flew away. She'd get him more apples! She knew where there were some. He'd wake up to veritable apple feast!

It took her all night to get everything ready. By ready, she meant gathering in the apples and stacking them neatly beside him. There were red and green and yellow apples, some were spotted, some had leaves. All were the biggest and juiciest apples she had been able to find. There was easily a dozen neatly piled beside his sack.

She was sitting on the ground beside him when the Sun's rays were filtering through the leaves of her forest. His eyes opened just as the sun touched his tanned skin. She'd arranged it so that the apples were the first things he saw when he woke up.

He frowned at the fruits and she watched as his eyes scanned the forest again. He was cautious as he reached forward and grabbed a big, red apple with a twig still attached to it. He examined it, before he glanced first left and then right. He was sitting on his knees, facing her.

She leaned her head against her knee and linked her hands together. He was staring at the apple suspiciously. She wondered why he wasn't eating it when his stomach growled again. She frowned at him.

"Eat," she whispered, forgetting for a moment that while she was invisible he could not hear her.

"Who are you?" He asked, his black eyes narrowed as he stared straight ahead, she saw his eyes dart from left to right quickly. Her eyes widened in surprise. He wasn't looking at her but he'd definitely heard her. Was that his power giving him that ability?

"Eat," she repeated, curious to know if he'd heard her originally or just talking to someone he assumed was out there. She was still invisible.

"If I eat," he started slowly, "will you show yourself?"

He had _definitely_ heard her. She blinked and licked her suddenly dry lips. Her eyes traveled the length of his body. He wasn't using those electric square things with lights and sounds she usually saw other humans with. There was nothing not natural about his person. She made the decision that appearing to him would not harm her forest. "Yes."

She watched as he bit into the side of the apple, his white teeth ripping into the flesh. Juice and chunks of meat went flying everywhere again. She giggled. She liked watching him eat apples. He really enjoyed them.

He was halfway done the fruit when she let all her enchantments fall. She was sitting on the ground in front of him, her long black hair spilling over her shoulders, and pooling on the ground all around her. She had wide, violet eyes that almost glowed, a button nose with a small mouth. Typical fae features, with high cheekbones and almond-shaped eyes and slightly pointed ears.

The half-eaten apple dropped from his hand and rolled on the ground towards her. She giggled as his face went beat red and he averted his eyes immediately. She was confused when he quickly removed the top he was wearing and held it out to her with a trembling hand.

She was eyeing the garment when he tossed it at her blindly. She picked it up and put her arms through the sleeve holes. The top was so much bigger than she was that she floated in it. It would hang to mid-thigh if she were standing.

He cleared his throat and she smiled at him when he glanced at her quickly only to avert his eyes again. This time he undid his black belt and tossed it towards her. She noticed that his ears and neck were just as red as his face and he did everything in his power to avoid looking at her again. She grabbed the belt and wrapped it about her waist tying the top closed somewhat. It still hung off her shoulders loosely, built for a man his size rather than a dainty fae female like her.

She was watching him again when he made a third attempt at looking at her. He coughed into a fist, he was still blushing. She smiled at him and motioned the apples with a pale hand. "Eat."

He put his hands together as if in prayer and bowed his head towards her. He kept the position for a few seconds, "Thank you for the meal," he spoke solemnly, his face forever red. He then straightened, reached for another apple and proceeded to devour it.

She nodded and grabbed the half-eaten eaten apple from the ground. She picked off the dirt and grass and handed it back to him. Their fingers touched and it dropped to the ground again as he pulled away in surprise with a gasp. He was blushing again she noticed, and he'd placed both his hands on his knees.

"Are you a spirit?" He asked, his head turned to the side.

"Yes," she answered, "this is my forest," she motioned the woods in general.

"I mean no harm," he brought his hands together again and without looking at her bowed his head again, "I only seek safe passage." The muscles on his back bunched up nicely as he bowed down, touching his forehead almost to the ground.

She nodded and pointed to his large, canvas sack. "May I see what you have in there?"

He straightened and nodded. "Of course." He reached for the sack and laid out in between them. He opened the top and started pulling out what was within.

A pair of worn jeans, a wrinkled white tee shirt, a towel, red, fingerless gloves, bandages, a wooden bowl, chopsticks, an empty bottle of water, weights, a set of nunchucks, a couple of small blankets, prayer beads, more apples, a small bag of cooked rice and a couple of books. There was loose papers as well with faces printed on them (money, passport and important documents that she had no concept of). She frowned, disappointed.

He saw her frown and smiled at her. "No gold."

"I was expecting something…" she trailed off unsure what she had been expecting, "something else."

"I travel light," he rubbed the back of his red neck.

She got to her knees and peered into the sack, she pulled out the water bottle and sniffed it. "I know where you could fill this."

"Show me?"

She beamed at him and jumped to her feet. He blushed as she bounced, unaware that in her excitement, the black belt had come loose and he could see everything.

"Follow me!"


	2. Round 2

Round 2

It took longer than she had expected to reach the river that snaked through her forest leisurely. It had everything to do with the fact that she was running rather than floating through the air. She wasn't sure if she was going the right way, and she wasn't used to using her feet. The warrior followed behind her, his sack over his right shoulder.

She had long stopped paying attention to the top he had given her to wear, and it hung loosely about her body. The black belt had fallen off and was back around his waist, holding his pants up. Her long hair floated up behind her as she ran, her legs strong and fast like a deer.

He kept up with her pace nicely and when they reached the riverside he wasn't even out of breath. She turned her head to look at him and smiled. His black eyes glanced down and quickly came back to her face. He was blushing again.

"Here," she said, and proceeded to wade out into the water. Her long hair floated atop the water as she knelt down into the slow moving river. She was uncaring that she got the gi he gave her wet at the hem. Clothes were a human concept, she had no use for them and had only worn this because he had given it to her. She wanted him to know she appreciated his gift.

He dropped his sack at the edge of the river and pulled out the empty water bottle. She watched as he crouched by the river and filled it. He took two great mouthfuls before he splashed the top of his head and rubbed his short dark hair.

"Join me!" she waved towards him. The water covered her lap.

He was staring at her, his face red like a tomato. He shook his head. "No thanks."

"You have been dancing a lot," she reminded him, running her hands into the cool water.

He frowned at her, "Dancing?"

She made her hands into fists and punched in front of herself, mimicking what she had seen him do the night before. His eyes widened and he coughed into his fist.

"That's not dancing," he said stoically. She looked at him with some confusion. He was staring at the ground, the water was dripping off his chin.

"It's not?" She cocked her head to one side.

"No, it's martial arts," he clarified.

"Oh…" she trailed off, disappointed, her shoulders drooped. She had rather liked the idea that he was dancing.

"It is a different form of dancing," he assured her quickly. She smiled brightly at him and he tentatively smiled back at her. There was still a faint flush to his cheeks, and she wondered why he was so shy.

"I dance on the treetops when the wind blows just right," she beamed, looking at him, "In the fall as the leaves die, I make them twirl around me so that the trees can smile."

He smiled again and sat on the grass, facing her. She patted the water and waved for him to enter again. He shook his head again. She looked at him confused

"But why?" she asked.

"It would be disrespectful," he finally answered. She giggled as he bowed his head.

"Is it not more disrespectful to decline?" She countered with a grin. He shook his head and drank from his bottle.

"No," he answered. She stood up from the water and made her way back towards him. He avoided looking at her while she sat down beside him. The wet top clung to her skin annoyingly so she took it off and gave it back to the warrior. He made it a point to stare at the ground as he arranged the wet shirt beside him so that it would dry in the sun.

"You do not wish to refresh yourself?" She asked as she grabbed her knees and turned to look at him. His ears were red.

"I do," he clarified.

"Oh!" She beamed, suddenly understanding everything, "It's cause you're shy!" She giggled and stood up beside him, "I'll let you bathe alone then!" And she vanished.

"No wait!" He'd held up as hand in her direction but she had already vanished. Little did he know that she had no intentions of actually leaving him. His shyness was cute and she was curious as to why he would be so shy.

He sighed heavily and he was staring at the spot where she had last been visible for a long moment before he stood to his feet. She watched unabashed as he fiddled with his belt. He placed it beside the top gently. The tattered pants were next to come off and he folded them up nicely before he put them on the ground.

He stood naked now, except for that red headband. His face was still a bright red but he waded out into the water determinedly. Her eyes roamed over his body with appreciation. She'd seen a lot of naked humans in her day, both young and old, none even came close to matching his physique.

His body was toned and muscled everywhere. His abdomen looked like it was covered with rocks so defined it was. He had thick legs corded with muscle, his arms were the same. He was hairless except for a dark patch at his groin, and a bit of a line below his navel. Her eyes would have roamed further except that she was focused on his dick.

It stood erect.

She blinked. He was aroused. It was her turn to blush. She was glad she was invisible as he waded into the water. His penis brushed against his belly as he walked and she had been unable to tear her eyes away. He was aroused because of her. That explained why he had refused to enter the water with her. He hadn't wanted her to know he had an erection.

She smiled as she floated over the water until she was beside him. He was rubbing his body vigorously, his big hands splashing the water up his torso and face. She watched for a moment longer before she went back to the riverbank and materialized beside his clothing.

He gasped and she grinned at him as she picked up his clothing, belt and all. He actually dropped in the water, crouching his legs, hiding more his big body beneath the ripples.

"W-what are you d-doing?" His voice had gone up a notch.

"Hanging them up on the branches!" She pointed to the tree and placed his clothing so that they could dry better in the wind. He made a strangled noise as she dropped back to the ground and sat facing him.

"I… uh…" he was staring at her from the water, his mouth moving as though he were trying to talk, but unable to formulate the words.

"Why don't you come out and join me here on the riverbank?" She patted the grass beside her. He shook his head vigorously and swallowed. She smiled as he stared at the water hard, his face an ode to the colour red.

"No…" he trailed off.

"You'll get cold if you stay in the water much longer," she arched a black eyebrow in his direction.

"I'll b-be fine," he swallowed, and there he stayed.

She did not know how long they remained in their respective positions. He in the water up to his shoulders, and her sitting on the riverbank, facing him, her legs crossed. There was a cool wind dancing through the leaves of her forest and her body tensed. The urge to dance was almost overwhelming.

His teeth began chattering and he straightened, the water was now lapping at his waist.

"Come," she motioned him to come out.

She heard him sigh and his head lowered as he closed his eyes. She smiled as he very slowly started walking towards her. One of his hands she noticed was in front of himself, hiding what he could of his penis. He was quick to reach for his canvas sack when he got on land. He was using just one hand as he opened the bag and fished out the towel he'd shown her earlier. He immediately wrapped the towel about his waist.

"Better?" She grinned at his red back. He was on his knees, his back to her.

"I meant no disrespect," he spoke, his shoulders straightening. She blinked at his back.

"Why do you keep saying that?"

"You are a forest spirit," he said as though that explained everything.

"Yes," she agreed, "I am."

He nodded and remained silent. She tapped a finger to her chin as she stared at his back. He was uncomfortable around her because he was attracted to her. It had been centuries since she'd last had any interactions with a human, and even longer since she'd last lain with a human man. Maybe it would ease him if she blessed him. She crept in his direction and pushed herself against his back as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

All his muscles locked and she smiled against his ear. "Why then don't you worship at my altar?" She whispered in his ear playfully, "I will bless you with good luck."

He was silent and she felt him heat up where she was touching him. His hands clenched on his knees and he straightened further. "I…"

She giggled and floated around him so that was on her knees in front of him. His eyes were clenched closed, and his face was fifty different shades of red. She leaned forward and placed her lips against his.

He gasped, his mouth opening. She pushed her tongue within its depths and licked at his teeth. He made to pull away when she grabbed his face with both her hands and forced him to stay where he was. It was a few seconds before his shaking, big hands reached for her and pulled her towards him.

She mewled against his mouth as his arms wrapped around her smaller frame and hugged her to his chest. His lips had softened and he was hesitant with his tongue. It was as if he had no experience with kisses and was learning from her what to do.

"Forgive me, Spirit," he whispered as he pulled his head away and buried his face against her throat, his fingers were winding themselves in her hair. She smiled at him and thought of the kanji symbols on his belt.

"Kaze," she corrected him quietly, "For I am the wind."

He pulled away from her, his black eyes focusing on her face before he reached up and ran his thumb against a petal soft cheek.

"Kaze," he repeated, his eyes dropping to her lips momentarily before coming back to her eyes. He grabbed one of her small hands and placed it against his pounding heart, "I am Ryu."


	3. Round 3

Round 3

The sun was at its peak when Ryu bent his head and very gently placed his lips against hers. He was still holding her hand to his chest, her fingers were splayed along the muscles. He was tense and moved like a man unsure of his ground. She could feel the slight trembling in his palm.

Her lips tilted upwards as he pulled away from her, his cheeks bright red. He avoided her eyes and bent his head downward to the side. She very slowly reached forward and placed her free hand against the towel at his waist. He turned an even darker red, closed his eyes and adjusted so that she could pull on it without any effort. He'd placed both his hands on his knees again.

His erection stood tall amidst the dark hair. There was a bead of moisture at the tip that made her smile. With her one hand against his chest, she moved closer and touched the tip of his penis with a finger. He gasped and straightened, his back arching uncontrollably.

She repeated the action and looked up at him with a seductive smile to her lips. His eyes were clenched closed and he had his head turned to the side. His face was beet red, a couple drops of sweat beaded on his forehead close to his hairline. She found his reaction to her touch cute and couldn't help herself as she teased him some more.

Her fingers wrapped around the purple head of his dick, applying gentle pressure. He gasped and his back arched again as her thumb circled the flared head, using his precum as lubricant. She released his cock and backed away from him deliberately. His body was twitching everywhere, a sheen of perspiration glistened across his skin.

Ryu opened his eyes to find her on her back, leaning on her elbows, her legs bent with her knees up. He was blushing still while she spread her legs. One of her hands snaked down her body until it hovered just above her mons. His black eyes focused on her fingers as she spread her nether lips. "I told you to worship at my altar," she reminded him, her index stroking a circle around her clit slowly, "Show me your devotion, Ryu."

He whimpered. That was the best way to describe the noise he emitted as he stared at her moving fingers. He licked his lips and she moaned as he lowered himself between her legs. His rough fingers were trembling as they touched her calves and slowly traveled up her legs to her thighs. She parted her legs even more as he moved closer, stretching out on his stomach.

She moved her fingers away from her pussy when he lowered his head. The first touch of his tongue against her core was tentative and gentle. He used the tip of his tongue to circle her pearl cautiously. His hands moved from her thighs to her knees and she moaned as he spread her wider beneath him, lifting her legs up and folding her almost in half.

"Like this," she cooed, her hand finding its way back to her pussy. He pulled his mouth away as her fingers parted her vulva. She ran her index against her clit harder and circled it again. He watched for a moment, learning how she wanted him to lick her. He was not disappointed with her noises when he returned his mouth to her core.

She keened and both her hands buried themselves in his short hair. He applied more pressure to her clit, and used his tongue like she had asked. Circling her pearl with tighter, harder circles. Her muscles tensed beneath his hands and he groaned against her as she arched against his mouth. She was trying to grind her pelvis but he prevented her.

Her orgasm when it came was powerful and she screamed his name. He was still lapping at her pussy when her body went lax in his hands, her limbs trembling with aftershocks. She moaned and he hesitantly stopped his ministrations. He went back to sitting on his knees in between her legs. He was still blushing, but there was a very faint smile on his lips as he looked down at her.

She held her arms out and smiled as he slowly crawled over her until his face was above hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his wide waist. He was looking down at her with an almost glazed look, supporting most of his weight on his forearms.

They remained like this for a few seconds before she realized he was actually letting her take the lead. Her smile widened and she released his neck so that she could reach in between their bodies to guide him into her folds. He made some strangled noises when she grabbed his shaft and poised him at her entrance, rubbing the head against her entrance to lubricate it.

She pulled on his penis, and he took over, pushing inside cautiously with his hips. She moaned and returned her arms to his neck. He was rocking into her gently, keeping the pace slow and steady. He grunted every time he bottomed out, the head of his cock kissing her womb. She could tell by his clenching muscles he wasn't going to last long, nor was she for that matter.

And then it happened. Something that she hadn't expected and didn't completely understand. He burst into a purple, blue fire except it wasn't hurting her, and he didn't seem to notice it either. She closed her eyes and arched into him, her pussy was milking him now. His heart was hammering against her breasts, and she groaned. His movements were getting more frantic with every push. The fire surrounding him intensified and she started feeling a burning heat in her abdomen where his cock was now pounding against her. Her orgasm was building up, stronger and harder, the pressure becoming almost unbearable until she exploded.

He'd made a sound that sounded close to the grunts he'd done while he had been training, and froze over her, his eyes clenching closed as the fire engulfed both him and her fully. He'd buried his cock as deep as it could go and he'd been unable to stop his ejaculation when it came. She screamed his name, her muscles locked around him and she squirted all over him with her juices. Blessing him as it were.

Her eyes fluttered as her limbs collapsed, her power almost completely drained. He was still frozen over her, his body tensed and soaked, his dick pulsating inside her. The flames had vanished but when he opened his eyes look down at her in amazement she could see something there that hadn't been there before, a different kind strength.

She smiled at him, her face relaxed, her eyes closing of their own volition. They were still joined and she was loathe to separate from him. She told him so when he gently pulled out of her depths. He blushed, but said nothing as he grabbed his towel and made for the water. She was almost asleep when he returned, the towel wet.

She moaned as he spread her legs and began washing her privates soothingly. He was gentle in his ministrations, and when he was done he grabbed his canvas sack and arranged it so that she could lay her head on it like a pillow. She smiled at him sleepily as he arranged the top of his karate gi over her like a blanket. it had warmed nicely in the sunlight.

Her eyes were closed, and she hovered on the edge of sleep. She who had never slept a day in her life. She had no need for sleep… her thoughts were a jumbled of confusion, and she half expected him to lay beside her. She waited in this semi conscious state, for him to come to her.

He didn't. She eventually drifted off to the noises he made while training.


	4. Round 4

Round 4

A hand was petting her hair. Strong, calloused fingers rubbing delicate circles along her scalp, sending wonderful sensations down her spine. She stretched languidly like a cat. Her eyes opened and she yawned for the first time in her life. She found herself looking at the river. Her head was no longer resting on Ryu's canvas sack, rather she was laying in between his legs, her cheek against his thigh. The material of his gi was coarse against her cheek.

"There is a tournament in Kyoto," he spoke slowly, his voice smooth and calm.

She frowned but didn't move, he was very comfortable. "A tournament? What is that?"

"It's a competition where fighters like me try to become the best."

"You are the best," she smiled sleepily. She closed her eyes and snuggled into his leg.

He chuckled softly, his fingers working their magic in her hair. "Thank you for thinking that, but I am not."

There was a tone of finality in his voice that had her opening her eyes. She didn't want to move, and she was slow to sit up.

"You're leaving my forest?" She whispered understanding what he was getting at. He was silent. He was looking at her and nodded.

She blinked at him and found that she didn't want him to leave. Sadness was not an emotion she understood very well as she never had cause to be sad before. She was staring at him and he smiled encouragingly at her.

"I will come back," he promised, looking at her intently.

"You promise?" She licked her lips. He nodded.

"Yes."

That had been over a week ago. She had watched him leave her forest silently. There were a myriad of emotions that had been going through her mind that she was unfamiliar with and had not known how to act. So she had watched, invisible to his eyes, as he left the safety of her woods.

He had looked back and she had made the leaves on the trees dance. He'd smiled, raised a muscled arm in farewell and had resumed his journey to this tournament he had mentioned. She'd lingered at the border, unable to follow and unable to leave her domain.

She'd had time to reflect in his absence about what had happened to him when they'd made love and subsequently what had happened to her. That inner power that had drawn her to him had been the cause. She had awakened his power and it had affected her. He'd somehow weakened her, absorbing some of her own power and in exchange giving her human emotions.

Tears that she had never shed in her life had been dropping from her eyes randomly. She felt extreme sadness, and extreme happiness, anger and joy simultaneously. It was still affecting her now, a week after their brief encounter. She was also lethargic, yawning all the time. The urge to dance had diminished drastically.

She resolved to speak to him about it when he returned to her forest.

The weeks turned to months. Spring turned into summer, and summer into fall. The leaves changed colours, from green to red, orange and yellow. The seasons followed the same path. Still she lingered on the edge.

He did not come.

Her eyes filled with unfamiliar tears and her own sadness joined that of the trees as they were want to do in autumn. The wind rustled the leaves carrying with it the cries of her forest, begging her to return. Her eyes closed, causing the water filling them to spill down her cheeks. She had ignored her duties for long enough.

She forced a smile to her lips and she floated away from where she had been keeping vigil. There were trees waiting for her to sing and dance for them, they were always depressed in the fall. There were flowers that needed to be reassured that this winter was not going to be the eternal one, and spring would come back. She had to say goodbye to her fish friends for soon the ice would cover them and separate them.

There was just too much to do.

The winter had been a harsh one. Ice storms had battered her forest, breaking many branches from young saplings and wise old oaks. She suffered the loss of many a friend in the months that followed. The cries from her trees did not surprise her.

There was a pain that had been nagging at her sides for weeks now it seemed. It was like something was digging away at her insides. She scoured her domain for the cause and hadn't found the reasons for it until spring was just around the corner. And what she found terrified her.

At the far eastern edge of her sanctuary, machinery of the likes she had never seen before had begun appearing. They were great monsters of steel and rubber, claws and teeth meant for grappling with large trees. She counted many men amongst the monsters. Humans from a large city she guessed; they wore suits and hard hats.

Her curiosity was quickly replaced with fear. She watched horrified from her hiding spot, as the trees she had befriended were felled, stripped of bark and sliced into manageable logs. Giant monsters with wheels drove what remained of her friends away, the ground was torn up, and even the stumps were pulled from the ground.

She screamed as the smell of sap and gasoline filled her nostrils. The humans were destroying her forest, killing her friends, torturing her family. She understood where the pain was coming from, and she was powerless to stop it.

Time had stopped for her. The screams of her friends as they were murdered drowned out the sounds of the deadly machines and she fell to her knee, her strength depleted completely as it were. The lethargy that had been affecting her since Ryu's departure reared its ugly head here.

She found herself rooted to the ground, tears of shock running down her face and gasping for air. The pain in her side intensified the more she watched. She winced as a giant yellow machine with a big claw shovel scraped the ground, raping the earth, tearing the flowers and grass. Her stomach churned and she screamed at nothing… everything…

It was hours before the humans stopped and left her forest. Their machines and buildings remained. She stumbled out of her hiding spot and walked amongst the ruins that remained. She heard a faint moaning on the wind and made her way towards a pile of logs. The scent of sap was strong here, the blood of her trees littered the ground, dripping off the logs.

A shaking hand covered her mouth as more tears fell from her eyes unchecked. She sobbed and leaned her head against the fallen trees. She had no idea how long she stood there, beside the logs, but eventually she fled.

She floated from the devastation and flew as far away as she could from the smell of blood and death. She'd reached the very edge when she floated downward until she sat on the grass. She wrapped her arms about her legs and buried her face in her knees.

There in the shadow of an old oak almost as old as she was, she cried. Her voice howled like the wind in the midst of a typhoon. Her small shoulders shook violently. Pain, both physical and emotional, ravaged her mind and body until she lost consciousness.

Unbeknownst to them, the human Empire was on the verge of claiming yet another victim. One that they didn't even know existed.

Except for one, and he was somewhere in China…


	5. Round 5

Round 5

Ryu took a deep breath as he walked out of the airport. He was dressed in the wrinkled white tee-shirt and torn jeans, his still wore his red headband. He had been forced to buy a pair of sandals to board the plane that would take him from Seoul to the Osaka International airport. His lungs expanded and he closed his eyes. It felt good to be back in Japan. Home.

He hefted his canvas sack and made for the wilderness as soon as he could. There was a forest north of Kyoto that he had promised he would return to. It had taken him longer than he had expected to finish the tournament, and even then, he didn't believe he had actually won. Not fairly anyways.

Sagat had beaten him. Fair and square.

Ryu was ashamed to admit that while Sagat had held a hand out to him to help him to his feet, he'd been possessed by something and had attacked the host of the tournament. His fists had burned with blue fire and he'd ripped Sagat's chest open. It was a miracle that he'd survived. And so Ryu found himself back home, with his tail between his legs, so to speak.

He was going to return to his dojo and focus his mind and body, but first, Kaze. He had promised he would return.

His face heated as he thought of the yokai that he had encountered a couple years previous. He licked his lips and smiled to himself, he had a special gift for her. He'd brought back pebbles from all the places he'd traveled, he had a small sack of them, just for her. Each pebble was unique and he'd memorized where each had come from so he could show them to her.

He walked for hours before he dropped his sack and sighed heavily. Now that he was back in Japan, he really didn't need to worry about his clothes or his shoes. He rustled through his sack and pulled out his karate gi. He changed quickly and removed the uncomfortable sandals. He made fists with his toes in the grass and closed his eyes. He was already starting to feel better.

The spare set of clothes were thrown into his sack and he resumed his trek. He didn't have much further to go he figured. He was a fast walker with near-endless stamina, his muscular legs had already walked the length of Japan before. Her forest wasn't far.

Every hour or so he would look about, trying to regain his sense of direction. He would frown as nothing was the same. The forest he had half expected to enter any moment never materialized. He found rather that the wilderness he was walking in was changing.

The trees never appeared, rather he found zoning machinery. The grass beneath his feet changed to concrete and pavement. There was a park up ahead that he knew hadn't been there before. He kept to the side, and his eyes widened as apartment buildings and houses he did not remember came into view.

His heart started pounding in his chest as his eyes found fake flowers in plastic flower pots. The playground, he noticed, had rubber flooring rather than dirt and grass. The shrubs were tightly trimmed, with awning over concrete rather than shady trees over soft moss. His sack dropped from his nerveless fingers.

The sun had set and he found himself not caring. He cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted her name.

"Kaze!" He yelled, his eyes scanning the concrete forest. Where was his forest spirit?! He was ignored by passer-bys.

He grabbed his sack and made towards the river that he knew wasn't far from here. They had made love on the riverbank. His legs tensed and Ryu found himself running. His heart echoed in his head and he gritted his teeth in his mouth. He refused to believe that he wouldn't find her. Refused to believe that she was gone. Her vibrant image danced in his mind.

He skidded to a stop close to the river, all the trees he remembered were gone. He could hear it, smell it. "Kaze!" He called her name again, unable to stop the panic that had entered his voice.

Forest spirits were only has strong as their trees. He licked his dry lips and pushed on towards the river. His heart sank to the bottom of his stomach. Houses lined the riverside. He dropped to his knees just before a brand new dock. He shook his head and froze suddenly as he felt a breeze touch his sweaty skin. He jumped to his feet, his heart pounding.

"Kaze..." He whispered, turning around. He had half expected to find her standing behind him, naked and alive. He was disappointed that she wasn't. He stilled as his black eyes focused on a lone, dry leaf. It dragged along the pavement, almost against the wind, away from the river.

Ryu watched it for a moment longer before he followed it determinedly. The going was slow and once or twice he thought he was going crazy, but he did not abandon the leaf. It dragged him passed the playground with the fake floor, and past the zoning area. He stopped looking for the leaf when he came to a grassy area with a large, single oak. He could see more houses and buildings in the distance but he ignored them as he focused on the old tree.

"Kaze," he said her name like prayer as he put a trembling hand on the trunk.

"You came back…" her voice was faint, barely a whisper on the wind. He found his eyes filling with tears as he dropped to his knees in front of the old tree.

"Yes!" His voice cracked as he bent forward and placed his forehead on the ground, bowing deeply. He had clenched his eyes closed. "Forgive me..."

He tensed as her soft hands touched his hair gently, he wanted to grab her and hold her but he refrained. He stayed still, his head bowed. Her hands moved to his gi and clenched on the cloth over his shoulders. He straightened as she pulled on his clothing gently.

There was no stopping the gasp that escaped his lips when he finally laid eyes on her. His beautiful yokai was but a shadow of her former self. She was faint, even though she was materialized, a weak glow surrounded her, making her look ethereal. Her long hair was limp and faded. Her face had grown gaunt, her cheeks sunken in, even her pointed ears drooped a little. There was a faint smile to her lips and tears made her violet eyes shimmer in the moonlight.

"Kaze!" He pulled her into his arms and hugged her to his body. She snuggled into his chest and clung to his gi tightly.

"You came back," she whispered, burying her face against him.

"I won't be leaving you again," he vowed, placing a hand against her head. She laughed but it transformed into a sob. He held her as she cried against him, her slim shoulders trembling.

"I'm scared…" she whispered, her voice muffled, "so scared…"

He raised his head to look at the old oak. He was doing mental calculations in his head as he stared at the tree that he assumed was her life force. He could bring her tree to his home… He would beg Ken for funds. Ken would gladly lend him the money needed to move her tree to his dojo without killing it. That would bring her to his home where he could tend to her needs, and ensure she continued as before.

"Listen," he licked his lips as he nuzzled her the side of her head, "I have an idea…" She pulled back to look at him with her wide, violet eyes. He continued undaunted, "I can bring your tree to my dojo. My friend…" he trailed off and cleared his throat, "He will help… I'll make sure you are safe..."

She raised a hand and placed it against his mouth, silencing him. Her smile was brilliant and tears continued to shimmer in her eyes, rolling down her cheeks. "You would do that for me?"

"Yes!" He didn't hesitate, "I love you…" her eyes closed and she sighed as she snuggled against him. He found that once he'd said the words, he wanted to say them again, "I love you," he repeated as he reached down and grabbed her chin with his fingers. He tilted her head up and very gently lowered his head to press his lips against hers. "Allow me to bring you to my home?"

Her lips softened and she smiled against his mouth. Her hands came up and grabbed his head. He stilled as she stared into his eyes. "Make love to me, Ryu…"

He hesitated but a moment. Something in the way she'd said that had made him tense, but her thumbs stroked his high cheekbones and she leaned forward and pressed a tender kiss against his lips. He groaned and his arms tightened about her frail body.

"Anything you wish," he whispered against her lips.


	6. Round 6

Round 6

She couldn't hear her trees crying anymore, they had gone silent long ago. She'd lost her sanity once or twice when she'd been surrounded by the bodies of her family and friends. The humans hadn't seen her, on her knees, covered in mud, clutching dead plants to her chest amidst the destruction that had been wrought on her forest. She'd been staring wide-eyed at nothing.

They had walked right through her. Had seen right through her.

She'd fled but the humans had followed, killing everything around them as they rearranged her forest to their liking. They used her friends to build homes of sticks and stones until all that was left was her old, oak tree.

This was it for her now. She'd been reduced to an area the size of a pebble, her domain was all but obliterated. Her strength was all but gone, the little she'd used to lure Ryu to her had been taxing. That he had returned like he promised had been worth the effort. To see him one last time.

She had smiled as he spoke of protecting her, saving her. He wanted to bring her home. His home. He didn't try to hide the love in his eyes as he spoke those beautiful words. She had never been loved by a human, nor had she loved one in return. It was then as he gathered her close to his heart that she decided she would bless him with one last gift.

He was gentle with her as he pressed his mouth to hers. So gentle. His fingers were trembling and touching her as though she were made of glass. She tried to help him undress as she reached for his thick waist, her fingers working the knot of his black belt.

His big hands joined hers and he was swift in undoing the knot. She was able to pull his belt away at the same time that he removed his top. They both reached for his pants at the same time and he pulled them down to his knees exposing his already engorged penis.

The blood rushed to his face and he had to clench his eyes closed for a moment. His chest expanded as he took a deep breath. She'd begun gathering her powers around her, everything that she had left she brought forward. They had both begun glowing in a fluorescent blue hue that when he opened his eyes, he gasped in surprise.

She pushed a finger to his lips, shushing him before he spoke. Big drops of water dripped from her eyes as she leaned forward and put her mouth to his. "I thought I told you to make love to me…" she whispered against his mouth, tiny blue petals appeared around them, dancing in the non-existent wind.

He shifted his eyes from hers to look around them at the dancing, floating petals. His lips parted slightly and he glanced around in both awe and trepidation. His eyes returned to hers. She knew he was going to speak, ask questions she did not want to answer, and so she moved quickly.

She climbed up his body and wrapped her legs about his waist and her arms around his neck. She was already wet for him so it as easy to ease herself onto his shaft without using her hands. He grunted and his body tensed. His big palms grabbed her ass, one cheek in each hand and clenched. She moaned as he pushed her onto him, grinding against her, using his pelvic bone to push against her clitoris.

"I l-love you," he stammered, his breath hitching, his body breaking out in perspiration. She weighed almost nothing atop of him. He trembled as she moaned in pleasure.

She arched back against his arms, her hands on his shoulders. She closed her eyes and released her power at the same time as she started bouncing on him. He grunted again, his heart was pounding to a tattoo that she could feel. She loved him too.

"Kaze!" Her name was spoken like a prayer as the blue light intensified between them. Her hands began giving off that same light that surrounded them.

"Ryu," she whispered his name on a sigh. His muscles locked, he made a gargling sound and she smiled a brilliant smile when he suddenly burst into the same blue flames as before. She had been expecting that, counting on it.

She increased her movements, clenching her pussy, milking him for what he was worth, trying to force his flames to erupt like before, engulfing them both. It was crucial. She did not have much time, not anymore.

He groaned as he buried his face in her neck, his arms tightening, his fingers clenching. His fire finally exploded and surrounded them both. She used the rest of her magic and screamed. He screamed too.

Lightning suddenly exploded around them, from a clear sky. Striking the giant oak that had stood guard over her forest for millennia, the ground encompassing them and finally them. Ryu was blinded, deafened and burned, yet he could not move, did not move.

The body of Kaze vanished in his hands, reduced to just a bright blue light. With his eyes closed, he did not see the light shimmer and disappear over his skin as it touched him. He did not see his hands exploding with blue white energy until he'd jumped to his feet.

His eyes turned white and he was surrounded with the dancing petals. His muscles locked and without being able to control himself Ryu took a step forward, stomping his feet into an unfamiliar battle stance. His hands waved into a circle, one arm high the other low. Blue light exploded from between his fingers as he formed them as though he were holding a sphere, his torso was slightly turned to the side. He did not control his voice, and found himself screaming a word he had never heard before just as a ball of blue energy exploded from his hands as he punched them forward, connected at the wrist with fingers splayed. "Hadoken!"

The old oak that was split from the lightning strike took the ball of blue fire that appeared from his palms and vanished as though it had never been, leaving nothing but a husk of a trunk, the rest disintegrating before Ryu's very wide eyes.

His mouth hung open in surprise and shock as he stared, horrified, at what remained of the tree that had been her life force. He dropped to his knees, his pants had fallen off him when he'd jumped to his feet.

"Ka...ze…" His voice broke.

The flames surrounding him died, the petals vanished as they touched his skin, turning to ash that fluttered in the gentle breeze. He gazed about him in shock, his big body trembling and not because of the cold.

"I love you Ryu…" the wind whispered, swirling around him, twigs and leaves circled him in a very unnatural pattern before falling to the ground, dropping around the naked warrior like a puppet whose strings had been cut, the magic gone.

He was alone.

His breathing was laboured. His eyes filled with unshed tears. There was a burning heat in his chest where his heart was. His hands clenched uncontrollably, and briefly he saw the outline of blue fire along his fists. Adrenaline pumped through his veins, his heart was slamming against his ribs.

And then a calm. His pulse eased, his breathing relaxed.

The flames brightened around his hands and his heart soothed. Visions of Kaze as she had been two years ago flutter across his mind. The brief amount of time they had spent together in sharp focus. He gasped.

The wind danced around him, fluttering his hair and the tails of his headband. He closed his eyes, the water leaving twin trails of tears on his rugged cheeks. He raised his face to the wind, letting the breeze dance over he skin. His breathing slowed and he arranged himself so that he sat cross-legged on the ground, his blue-flamed fists on his knees. That he was still naked mattered for naught.

He focused on her. Breathing in and exhaling in a controlled manner. His memories of her was mixed with her own memories. He had never seen her dance, but he had the memory. She twirled on one leg, the other leg extended. The leaves spun about as she laughed, her smile wide and mischivieous. He recognized her movement as his own. And then he understood everything, and he sobbed one brief cry.

Ryu knew what she had done. She'd given herself to him. Had let him consume her. His yokai… she was one with him. Her memories his own.

The Hadoken was her last gift.

The last of her power.


End file.
